30 Ways to Meet Guys That Don't Involve Dating Apps

When you’re single and looking, it can be supes frustrating to hear platitudes like “your soulmate will come along when you least expect it!” What if you want to actively look and find someone? Here are 30 ways to meet guys IRL — and nope, none of these involve dating apps.

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Ask your friends/co-workers to set you up.

Sometimes you just gotta ask! You never know which of your friends is secretly hiding Prince Charming.

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Just ask your crush out!

If you’ve been crushing and flirting for a while with each other and are looking for a sign, this is it! Odds are he’ll be pretty impressed and flattered if not stoked to go out with you, and if not, then you can ride that energy and use it to keep asking cuties out until you meet your soulmate.

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Strike up a conversation at a bookstore.

Tell him you’re getting a gift for a friend and can’t decide which book is better. Ask him to read both jacket flaps and see which story he finds more interesting.

Single dudes with dogs are always trying to settle down. That’s just science! You don’t get a dog if you’re trying to be alone forever, you just don’t.

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Go to an event one of your Facebook friends is hosting that you typically wouldn’t show up to.

Not only are you being a supportive friend, you’ll probably meet some cool people!

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If you hit it off with a cutie in line for a concert or movie or in line for the bathroom, suggest you follow each other on Instagram to keep in touch.

This way you can stay top-of-mind and let a slow burning Insta-flirtation build.

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Join a rec league.

Again, shared interests are a great way to find potential dates. Plus, since it’s not just a one-off thing, you’ll have time to build chemistry with people.

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Loiter at a bar alone.

Not only are your odds of meeting people pretty high, but it’s also good to realize you don’t need a squad to go out and have fun.

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Practice your angles.

Seriously nothing cheesy about spending a few minutes perfecting your “I’m approachable” smile if it gives you confidence to use it out and about.

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Send a cute guy at the bar or restaurant a drink or a plate of fries.

When he looks over, channel your best knowing wink and wait for him to come over.

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Sign up for a class you’ve always wanted to take.

Obvs, never take a class to meet a guy, but if you’ve always wanted to try painting or music theory, the upside is you may meet cool new people who share your passions. Just go in it with zero expectations of meeting your future boo and all intentions of having a fun time doing what you love.

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Go to trivia night at a bar.

A healthy sense of competition sounds ripe for sexual tension, right?

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Volunteer.

Most people sign up to volunteer alone so you won’t feel awks about a cliquey environment. Also, you're simultaneously doing some serious good for the world.

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Enlist one or two friends to be your wing women.

The smaller your squad, the least likely he’ll be intimidated.

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Banter with someone in a comment thread.

If there’s one good thing Facebook offers (and there are so, so few), it’s mackin’ on a friend-of-a-friend you’ve never met but just realized ALSO studied abroad in Paris and recommended the SAME café as you did.

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Hit up someone you went to school with.

High school was all about social status, and maybe you thought you simply couldn’t ask out the cute jock. But everyone’s older and more mature now, so if you’ve had that forever-crush on someone and they’re defs single, just comment on their Insta or something!

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Muster the energy to go to that house party.

You only know one or two people there? Even better. It pushes you to talk to new people instead of huddling in a corner with your BFFs all night. Also, it’s a very natural, judgment-free environment for flirting–there are always at least four other couples doing it.

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Pick a more interactive gym routine.

Take a class, or get a membership somewhere more conducive to talking to strangers (like a rock-climbing one). Asking for advice on your form from a beautifully buff dude is the perfect icebreaker, too.

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Travel.

If you sign up for a tour with a friend or something, you’ll likely come across some pretty interesting other tourists whether they’re staying at your hotel, hitting up the same sightseeing places with you, or what have you!

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Go to a career networking event.

Any sane person hates these (even though they really can help you form valuable connections), but it’s also a setting where it’s literally weird if you DON’T hit up someone new, AKA maybe perfect for talking to a crush

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Sign up for a retreat.

There are plenty of nature-focused or spiritual retreats that encourage both being on your own and bonding with new people–maybe your future partner is one of them.

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Ask them to join a study group with you if you’re in school.

It can be scary to ask just one random hot person to study together, but if you take initiative and form a group and *then* invite them, it works! And your grades benefit too! Win-win.

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Host a get-together or small dinner party with friends.

You can host it yourself and nudge your buds to ‘bring whoever!’, or if you’re invited to one, just make conversation with whoever you find cute! It’s the calmest vibe for getting to know someone ever.

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Write a missed connection.

Ok, the chances it’ll work are veryyyyyy slim, but not entirely impossible! It’s the lowest risk move ever, so why not?

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Commiserate with a stranger at a marathon.

Anyone who’s a runner knows you have to wait at the starting line for forever before the race actually begins (perfect for exchanging playful/nervous looks with a rando) and that afterwards, you get to eat bagels and mingle while a fuckton of endorphins give you supernatural levels of confidence. Even if you’re the sweatiest you’ve ever been, you’ve never felt bolder. I mean, you just ran literal MILES. What’s talking to a new person compared to that?

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Meet someone at work.

But be careful, obviously. Be sure that 1. Both parties have expressed interested and you’re not harassing someone, 2. There aren’t any weird power dynamics at play (like you’re their boss or they’re yours) and 3. You're willing to risk breaking up and still having to see each other sometimes. Ideally, you work at a big-enough company where you can meet someone who’s in a totally different department and your relationship wouldn’t impact your work at all.

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Get his hot take on something at the grocery store.

Is grapefruit LaCroix really the best flavor? People have strong opinions on food so you know you’ll be able to strike up convo with someone.

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Go to a singles mixer.

Yep, these exist and you should take advantage of them. These cocktail hours are great for people who prefer to just do everything IRL. Just search “singles mixers” + where you live and there should be something!

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Coyly slide into a cute stranger’s DMs.

Obvs, don’t start with “you’re hot”–just let them know you exist and you find them funny. It’s basically a Tinder convo without any pressures of dating making anyone act weird.

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